BMW F30 new alloys - body vibrations - any ideas?

BMW F30 new alloys - body vibrations - any ideas?

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hovishead

Original Poster:

16 posts

150 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Hi,

I recently ordered some new 17" alloys with winter tyres for my '63 plate 320d through mytyres.co.uk

Bolt circle 5/120.00, Rim DEZENT RE 7.50 x 17 (LK 5/120, OS 35)
Nokian WR A3 215/50 R17 95V XL

Received them yesterday, and fitted them myself this morning. Drove to work, and higher than usual levels of vibrations in the body of car through the drivers seat, not the steering wheel. It seems to be worse between 60-90 mph (theoretically - I of course never go above 70...)

The wheels were balanced before shipping (and I can see the added weights), but they didn't come with spigots. I'm not (yet) concerned about the lack of spigots as they are a snug fit on the hub and when ordering the site specifically said spigots not required as OEM alloys. Looking at the spec, the alloys are 72.6mm bore and the BMW F30 is 72.5mm - 0.1mm is far too small for a spigot so I assume that this isn't the problem?

Any ideas what's else I should check for and how I can fix? I've read on one site this morning that I should perhaps have fitted the bolts by hand until they were tight and then used the wrench, whereas I used the wrench straight off - could this be the reason - could this have forced on the wheels when they weren't fully aligned? Would the order I put the bolts on when securing the wheel have affected it (started with star, but when tightening at the end just went around in a circle).

Thanks!

drmark

4,794 posts

185 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Duff tyre (manufacturing fault) / duff alloy / dirty hub and wheel not not centred / loose wheel nut / foreign body in tyre (mine was a bolt picked up after 2 miles). But most likely - out of balance and first check I would make.

Edited to add: all rear given felt in seat.

8Tech

2,136 posts

197 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
I would remove and remount the wheels first. make sure the wheel to hub faces are clean and that the wheel is a good fit on the hub with no sloppyness. If the problem persists, I would get the wheel and tyre checked for concentricity and then rebalanced if ok.

I have seen loads of aftermarket wheels buckled when new.

Good luck.

tjlees

1,382 posts

236 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Maybe not fitted properly. I hand tighten with the wheel off the ground and then finish off with the correct torque setting.

Does it happen all the time or at a certain speed? Could be balance problem

I assume you have also followed the pressures to the letter. Going from 19" to 18" winter tyres resulted in a significant increase in pressure for me.

If you have ruled out the above then it maybe a duff possible buckled wheel.

hovishead

Original Poster:

16 posts

150 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Thanks everyone. I've taken off the rears, and resat them after cleaning the hub, then tightened the bolts by hand before fully tightening with the wrench - sadly no change. Tested the speed at which it happens, and it's very much at 80mph+ but 85-90 seems the worst, below that and unnoticeable.

I guess I'll take it to a garage to check the balance of the rears - perhaps one of the weights got knocked off during the delivery process. Fingers crossed it's that...

8Tech

2,136 posts

197 months

Wednesday 24th December 2014
quotequote all
Huh???

Why just the rears? The problem is far more likely to be at the front.

ATM

18,099 posts

218 months

Wednesday 24th December 2014
quotequote all
8Tech said:
Huh???

Why just the rears? The problem is far more likely to be at the front.
Exactly

The fronts tend to have more of an effect on vibrations but as you have said it is not noticeable through the wheel then this could point rearward.

Forget cleaning the faces and reseating. Try swapping wheels from front to back and see what happens.

I'd guess one is either out of balance or the tyre is deformed or you could have a deformed / buckled wheel.

I had a set of genuine BBS 17 inch wheels on my F30 with Winter tyres. I had absolutely no problems. These do come with BBS own version of spigot rings which are metal - this is how you distinguish a genuine BBS wheel from a Mickey.

tjlees

1,382 posts

236 months

Wednesday 24th December 2014
quotequote all
hovishead said:
Thanks everyone. I've taken off the rears, and resat them after cleaning the hub, then tightened the bolts by hand before fully tightening with the wrench - sadly no change. Tested the speed at which it happens, and it's very much at 80mph+ but 85-90 seems the worst, below that and unnoticeable.

I guess I'll take it to a garage to check the balance of the rears - perhaps one of the weights got knocked off during the delivery process. Fingers crossed it's that...
sounds like a balance problem - as others have said check the fronts as well.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 24th December 2014
quotequote all
8Tech said:
Huh???

Why just the rears? The problem is far more likely to be at the front.
Front imbalance will show up at much lower speeds. High speed vibration, without low speed, tends to indicate rear wheel imbalance.

drmark

4,794 posts

185 months

Wednesday 24th December 2014
quotequote all
8Tech said:
Huh???

Why just the rears? The problem is far more likely to be at the front.
Felt in the seat, and not in the steering wheel makes rear issue more likely.

hovishead

Original Poster:

16 posts

150 months

Wednesday 24th December 2014
quotequote all
drmark said:
8Tech said:
Huh???

Why just the rears? The problem is far more likely to be at the front.
Felt in the seat, and not in the steering wheel makes rear issue more likely.
Cheers drmark - I'd read your earlier post suggesting it was rears so went with that.

Update - taken to national chain garage (quick availability) and lo and behold the rears were imbalanced, by 70 and 30 grams. Just taken it for a quick spin and no vibrations now! Given how badly balanced the rears were I'll go back and get the fronts re-done after Christmas.

Thanks everyone, appreciate the help and I'm glad to have sorted before Christmas.


drmark

4,794 posts

185 months

Wednesday 24th December 2014
quotequote all
Result. Merry Christmas.